J.T. Brown

Brown is the kind of bottom-six, energy forward that every team desires. He skates with high intensity on every shift and plays a whole lot bigger than his 5-foot-10, 172-pound frame. His offensive upside is ultimately limited, but he does have enough of a playmaker's mental...

Brown is a former NCAA free agent signed by the Bolts. He struggled in the AHL last season, in large part because of a slow recovery from a broken collarbone. The playmaker will need more time in the minors to grow his game, but he'll likely be a regular in a year. He won't ever be an offensive wizard, but he will one day bounce between the second and third lines. And maybe even top the 55-point mark.

2012-13

Maybe Brown will buck the odds -- there just aren't that many college free agents who turn into consistent offensive performers in the NHL. He's probably better suited, though, as a third-line sparkplug who can pound the opposition and possibly chip in 10-12 goals. The Bolts' wings are thin among the bottom six so he has a shot at a big-league job this fall. But his fantasy impact will be slim.